


Living Vessels

by Drachis917



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, I'm sorry for torturing you Pango, New names for the vessels, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-07-18 19:12:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16124918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drachis917/pseuds/Drachis917
Summary: What if more than one vessel escaped the Void and survived? Who would they be? Who would find them? And most importantly, could they save the Hollow Knight from its fate?





	1. Prologue

All they could see was black. Everything was dark, and when they reached out, there wasn't anything to feel. There was nothing but the darkness of the void, and they were content with that.  
Until a blinding scorching light erupted from the darkness.  
SAVE THEM... STOP HIM...  
The light created images of many things. There were many small, black creatures with stark-white masks and hollow eyes, all being struck down by a pale figure wearing a four-pronged crown. The light then coalesced into a radiant being, shrieking as the images of the crowned figure grew and grew, and the being shrank and shrank.  
SAVE THE VOID'S CHILDREN... THEY WILL STOP THE USURPER...  
Suddenly, both the light and the blackness faded, and they stood atop a high cliff overlooking a small town. They felt their new body, slender and black, and experimented with movement. They realized they had wings, and flew down to the village.  
The Black Moth didn't know where they were, or how they had gotten there, but they did know something.  
They had to prevent the void beings who had managed to escape from being killed.


	2. Pango's Escape

The asymmetrical vessel had no idea how they had managed to escape from the Pale King. They hoped that the others who made it out survived, but knowing the king, it was very unlikely. They realized that it was probably because of the other vessels stalling the king that they had managed to escape. The others had told them to go without them, before being struck down.

  
Go. The vessel felt that they had to somehow honor the final words of their siblings. But how?

  
A name! The vessel could give themselves a name with that word! They thought for a moment before deciding to call themselves Pango.

  
Pango ventured through the gray caverns in an effort to try to find a way out. They wandered for what seemed like hours before finding something of interest. A long, slightly cracked nail lay on the ground before them. Thinking it was always better to have the ability to defend themselves, Pango picked it up with some difficulty and slung it onto their back.

  
Exploring further in that direction lay a large cavern below them. There were many rock platforms, but no discernible easy way out. Spotting something glowing in the distance, Pango leaned forward to try and see what it was. Unfortunately, Pango had forgotten the nail on their back, and its weight caused them to topple into the cavern below.

  
Pango looked around dizzily, then, having nothing else to do, started walking to the glow in the distance. When they arrived, they saw a decorated plinth holding what looked to be a glowing pair of wings. Curious, Pango reached out and touched it.

  
The void of their body suddenly absorbed the wings in a flash of bright light. Pango somehow was able to tell that the object was called the Monarch Wings. Their first impression was one of revulsion; it was clear this was from the king, and they didn't want anything to do with him. Their revulsion slowly turned into curiosity, however, as they began thinking of how they could use this new tool.

  
After a few experiments, they discovered they could use this to propel themselves into the air a second time after jumping. After discovering this, Pango immediately made use of this new ability to get out of the cavern and continue exploring. With this new power, it wasn't long before Pango discovered an old elevator shaft. Looking up, it was clear that the elevator wasn't operational anymore. It wasn't completely broken, but several or the cables were snapped and the cage was dangling precariously. Carefully climbing up the shaft, Pango saw a glimpse of blue light. Eager to escape the gray, Pango started climbing faster.

  
However, they failed to notice the guard at the entrance before it was too late.

  
A sharp lance flew out of the blue and struck Pango in the head above their right eye.

  
Pango staggered backwards off the platform and started falling.

  
_No... It can't end like this!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is why I put "I'm sorry for torturing you Pango" in the tags.


	3. The Moth

Pango was falling, farther and farther down. They became very aware of all the spiked platforms they had passed on their way up, and wondered how long it would be until they fell into one. They tried to turn and look below them, but the heavy nail on their back prevented them from facing anywhere but up. This was it, they were sure this is where they were going to die, and their escape would have been for nothing. 

Until they felt two hands grab them and pull them to safety. 

Pango looked up to see their savior. It was a black moth-like creature with red spots on its wings and glowing white-yellow eyes. 

"Are you alright?" the moth asked. 

Pango nodded, too shaken by the fall to attempt communication. Not that they could speak if they wanted to, as vessels were made without a voice. Actually, maybe that wasn't true. If the others who had escaped could tell them to go, maybe they could project their thoughts in some way. Pango decided to make an attempt. 

_Y-yes, I think I'm f-fine._

The moth seemed intrigued. "You can communicate? I was under the impression that I'd be working with silent beings." 

 _Ap-parrently I can t-talk in some way._  Pango cringed inwardly at the stutter in their 'voice'. The fall had shaken them a lot worse than they thought. 

"Interesting," the moth mused, "Anyway, we should get somewhere safe."

The two of them traveled back to the cavern Pango had obtained the monarch wings. 

"So, Vessel, how did you manage to escape from the Pale King?" 

Pango hesitated for a moment before saying, _Th-there were others who es-scaped w-with me..._  

The moth suddenly looked guilty for bringing up the question. "I... I didn't realize... If only I'd been able to get here a little earlier..." 

The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes before Pango asked, _Why d-did you save m-me?_

The moth, startled by the sudden question, hesitated before saying, "I was told to." 

Curious, Pango asked, _Who told you too?_  

They seemed unwilling to answer, but eventually they said, "Someone who does not like your kind very much, but hates the King even more. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and all that nonsense. She combined a portion of her power with the void to create me, so I could save some your kind. She thinks that you vessels could be the key to defeating the King." 

Pango considered that for a moment. _Let's w-work together, then_. They reached out their hand, _I'm Pango, b-by the way. What's your n-name?_  

The moth looked at the hand, a little confused, before taking it and saying, "I simply go by Black Moth. It's a pleasure to meet you, Pango."

If Pango had the ability, they would have smiled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inconsistent upload schedule! Yay! Black Moth is based on a Cinnabar moth, in case any of you wanted a reference.


	4. Interlude - The King and The Void

The Pale King looked down into the void, wondering how many more vessels he would need to create in order to find one perfect enough to seal away this 'infection'. At first, it hadn't been much of a concern, but once it became apparent that those infected became practically feral, he knew he needed to do something quickly. After researching for what felt like ages, he finally discovered this incredible place. The void seemed to be a lake filled with what seemed to be thousands of minds, but they flowed together so smoothly it was impossible to tell how many there actually were. 

The King had formed a plan to create a shell made from this void, and seal the infection away forever. He would only need three citizens to forfeit themselves to be seals in order to save all the bugs of Hallownest. It was a simple plan that didn't require much sacrifice, or so he thought.

The first major roadblock came when he discovered that the vessels had individual identities. None of them would be suitable to contain the infection. The second came when the bugs selected for the seals refused to cooperate. Lurien seemed fine enough, but clearly had reservations. Monomon had told him that she would consider it, which he had taken as a polite way of saying "no." Herrah was the worst, clearly stating that she would have nothing to do with his "terrible schemes", as she put it. 

A voice echoed down from the gateway the king installed to prevent anyone else from entering, "Hey, your majesty! The retainers say the next batch of shells are opening! We'd better go check on them!" 

"Thank you, Hegemol," The King called up, "I'll join you in a moment." 

The King took one look back at the lake before leaving. He knew it would take many more vessels than he originally thought. He would have to sacrifice a lot more if he was ever to save his kingdom. He told himself the deaths would be worth the kingdom, but a little voice spoke in the back of his mind. 

"Can you do it?"

The King told the voice, "I can do it." 

But he still had his doubts. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this isn't an actual chapter. I needed something to fill in the story before I do a bit of a time skip.


	5. The Second Escape

A small vessel with four, small horns hid beneath a table from the terrifying being they knew as their father. They were listening in on a conversation he was having, mostly because it was interesting, but also because the king would see them if they moved. They were constantly worrying that the white energy flowing around them would give them away, but the bugs seemed not to notice. 

"I don't understand," the king was saying, "I put so much effort into the last few vessels, and still none of them are pure enough." 

"Perhaps that effort is what lead to their impurities," one of the other bugs said, "You need them to be without will, correct? If that is the case, then maybe you should focus less on your own power and more on the void." 

The king considered this, and mused, "You could be right, Isma. After all, passing on my spirit would be detrimental to the entire operation. I will be sure to try that next time. Now, my second issue. Only Lurien has consented to becoming a dreamer, and one seal is too weak by itself." 

"Can't you just find other bugs willing to be seals?" Another bug said. 

"I'm afraid you answered your own question, Hegemol," the king responded, "No other bug apart from you knights would be willing, and I can't risk sacrificing you." 

They were quiet for a moment. The vessel had to restrain themselves from fidgeting nervously in the silence. _When is someone going to say something?_ the vessel thought, _Say more about the vessels! I want to know more about myself!_

They suddenly heard the door bang open. A voice called, "Worm," followed by the king's curt response,"It's _wyrm_. Why are you here, Herrah?" 

The new bug, Herrah, said, "I have come to a conclusion about your proposal. I will become a dreamer, on one condition."

"Fantastic," the king said, "Name your fee, I'll give it to you." 

"I would rather discuss this in private," Herrah said, and the king waved the others out of the room. The vessel wondered if they should try to not hear, but Herrah continued speaking before they could come to a decision. "I would like a child." 

The king was quiet for a moment, then said, "Pardon?" 

"A child," Herrah repeated, "If your ridiculous plan works, Deepnest will need an heir. I've never found a mate, and with your bizarre void obsession, I'm sure the child would have incredible potential. Only after I have time to properly train my heir will I consent to becoming a dreamer." 

The king considered this, then sighed, "I suppose I have no choice. Come with me; we shall discuss the specifics later." 

 The vessel heard footsteps, then the sound of a door opening and closing. They scanned the floor, then crawled out from under the desk. There was no one left in the room. The vessel hurried out of the open door, and ran down the hall. They had to check if there were any other vessels left. In the room where the king had left the eggs, they saw the cracked, empty husks of their siblings shells. None of the vessels themselves remained.

Looking down at their feet in grief, the vessel noticed a slab of stone discarded under the tables. Picking it up and examining it, the vessel saw that it seemed to be a list of translations in an ancient or foreign language. curiously scanning the words, one caught their eye: White. It reminded them of the shining energy that seemed to flow into them from all around. The word translated into 'Blanc,' and the vessel thought, _Blanc... Now that would be a good name. Everyone else has names, so I should have one too!_

Blanc then ran out of the palace, determined to find others of their kind. They couldn't have been the only one who had managed to escape. They climbed up to a partially-built tram station, and hurried through into the darkness. 


	6. Deepnest Exploration

As Blanc explored to tramway, their surroundings suddenly became much darker. They started to hear skittering noises all around them, and they sometimes thought they could see glowing eyes piercing the darkness. Ignoring the ache in their legs and the crawling feeling they felt on their shell, Blanc pressed onward. Continuing forward, they came across a hot spring. Relieved for what looked to be a point of rest, Blanc immediately sunk themselves into the water. Strangely, the aches they felt seemed to be washed away by the warm water, and the white glow they had wondered about seeped into their body and made them feel whole. Stretching their arms out, they felt something strange. Blanc grabbed it and pulled it out of the water, discovering it to be a scrap of cloth that had snagged on a stone and had been torn off. Blanc drew the cloth scrap into the void they were made of, deciding to examine it more closely later. 

Walking onward, Blanc found their path blocked by a sleeping creature. Blanc looked for another way around, but it seemed to be crowding the entire cavern. Not wanting to go back, Blanc gently poked the creature in the back. When it failed to wake up, they poked it again, harder. It shuddered and, awake, turned to see what was bothering it. It had a very large mask and six eyes, slightly tinted orange. Blanc felt an instinctive sense of fear at its orange gaze, and stepped back cautiously. It was a good thing that they had stepped back, because the creature quickly opened their mask and slashed angrily at the vessel with scythe-like arms. 

Terrified without a way to defend themselves, Blanc jumped out of the way and ran back the way they had came. They kept running until they were sure it hadn't followed them. Stopping when they had put enough distance between them and the creature, Blanc would have sighed in relief if they were capable of doing so.  _So much for continuing forward,_  they thought, upset at their progress being hindered.

Interestingly, despite the scare, the warm feeling they had gotten from soaking in the hot spring had never faded. In fact, it felt more like a hot energy waiting to be released. Blanc, almost instinctively, tried focusing the energy outwards, fuled by the terror of their earlier encounter with that creature. Slowly, glowing white energy swirled around them and coalesced around their arms in the form of two large blades connecting to their wrists. Amazed by their own power, Blanc tried slashing these new blades through the air a few times. Confident in their new-found ability, they strode back to the creature, intending to defeat it and explore further. 

Striding up to the beast, which seemed to have fallen asleep again, Blanc slashed their new blades across its unprotected back. The beast screeched and scurried away into a hidden passage. Blanc, not wanting to fight any more than necessary, counted that as a victory and continued exploring. Deciding to experiment with their new ability, Blanc focused on materializing smaller, hooked claws, and used them to latch onto walls to explore upwards. They continued traveling up and up, their curiosity growing. How far was the surface? The white energy gave them a small light to see in the darkness, but the only thing they could see was more dark caves and the occasional immense beast. There was the occasional ground-dwelling creature that tried to ambush them, but Blanc easily dispatched them. 

Eventually, Blanc stopped to rest. The gloomy air in the caverns was starting to seep into their mood. Exhausted, they tilted their head back and sighed voicelessly Suddenly, Blanc noticed a small glimmer of light coming from a crack in the roof. Re-materializing their blades, Blanc leaped and struck the ceiling. The crack widened, and Blanc continued to pound the roof until it opened and revealed a soft glow. Eager to escape the dismal cave, Blanc leaped up into the new terrain and gazed in awe at the beauty before them. It wasn't anything amazing, but they would take anything over the caverns below. Deciding to explore further, they hoped that greener fields would be friendlier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah, sorry this chapter took so long. I've been really busy with schoolwork, but I had to get something done for this story. If you're curious to know when some of the other characters are coming, I'm planning on doing one more chapter with Blanc before introducing someone else.

**Author's Note:**

> Apoligies for the short chapters. I'm still fairly new to this, so feel free to leave suggestions and constructive criticism in the comments. Thank you so much for reading, and have a nice day.


End file.
